Today I took part in the Cookstown half marathon along with 300 other people. I was participating as its great training and preparation for me as I'm taking part in the New York marathon in just over 13 weeks. I started at the front of the group as i wanted to get off to a good start. As the race got going i was going a little faster than normal and got a shock when i was at the mile marker and looked at my watch and it read 6mins 34 seconds. My training runs are in the region of 8 minutes plus so i realised very quickly that i was going too fast and could pay for it later in the race. After 4 miles i was blowing and i felt like stopping and walking for a while as i had developed a slight stitch. This morning when i got up i was on you tube and i came across a great video which had a message of "Pain is temporary, Quitting is Permanent". For the next 4 miles i kept saying this to myself and thankfully i started to fine my running and got a second wind which was very welcome at that stage.
The track was the toughest half marathon I've competed in with lots of hills and more than half the race in the countryside with mostly livestock for company. Its much easier running when there is people about encouraging you on and clapping you round - thats what i find anyway.
I was keeping a close eye on my time and i was gradually slowing down to around an eight minute mile which i was very happy with. I knew if i kept that pace i would come in around 1hr 40minutes which would be 11 minutes quicker than my best time. So i dug in, grinded my teeth, put one foot in front of the other, time after time and kept going.
I was nearly home and as i ran up to the Mid Ulster Sports Arena, the crowd appeared and the pain started to ease slightly. I crossed the line with a new personal best time of 1hr 41mins and 28 seconds and i was delighted to get home and get a rest.
It was a very tough run but i was very pleased to get round in the time i did. I learnt alt from today and if there was one thing its that i really need to improve my training and commit a little more to this challenge.
Running is a great past time and when i am running(and not in pain) it is a great feeling and i am at my most creative.
This week i will up the ante on the training regime and thankfully i am on trek for New York City.
Remember #NeverGiveUp and #AttitudeIsEverything
Sunday 29 July 2012
Wednesday 25 July 2012
Crazy World
I've just come back from a family holiday in France and i made the commitment to myself and my wife before going that i would turn my phone off, refrain from social networking and try and switch off from the mad crazy world that we live in. Well that's what i did - kind off. In our hotel room i still had BBC news and CNN news channel and as i watched this everyday i started to wonder what on earth is going on in this mad crazy world we live in. Everyone is so busy trying to make money, pay the bills, survive, rip people off, kill people, exploit people and all sorts of other misdemeanours that you wonder what its all about.
I spent a few mornings in France running along the sea front and that's when i do my best thinking. I own a company with my partner GDP Partnership who specialise in helping people solve problems which are largely financial and its really amazing how many people who are currently in serious distress over their financial status. The difficult is that over the next 5/6 years the world faces huge problems. The problems in the Eurozone will continue to worsen, the economy will continue to struggle, war will continue to threaten in many parts etc etc - on the face of it there seems to be not too much to look froward to right?
I tend to try and work my mind to focus on the things that are positive and try and focus on the situations that i can effect and assist in a positive manner. As a result and off the back of my break, I have reviewed my goals for the 2nd part of 2012 and looking forward to making a difference in the months ahead. I can assure you i have many challenges facing me but sure so does everyone. Its definitely going to be a challenging 6 months but in my view its important to get around the right people, remove the doubters and negative people from your lives and try and climb a little higher every single day. Life is way to short and if you want a good book to read i would suggest you get George Friedman's The Next 100 years - he has a very interesting slant on what might happen and certainly i would assume that maybe 66 years from now (i am 34 and believe i will live to 100) i will likely leave this place and go to a better one so i have lots to do whilst i am here*_*
Remember everyone #NeverGiveUp and #AttitudeIsEverything
I spent a few mornings in France running along the sea front and that's when i do my best thinking. I own a company with my partner GDP Partnership who specialise in helping people solve problems which are largely financial and its really amazing how many people who are currently in serious distress over their financial status. The difficult is that over the next 5/6 years the world faces huge problems. The problems in the Eurozone will continue to worsen, the economy will continue to struggle, war will continue to threaten in many parts etc etc - on the face of it there seems to be not too much to look froward to right?
I tend to try and work my mind to focus on the things that are positive and try and focus on the situations that i can effect and assist in a positive manner. As a result and off the back of my break, I have reviewed my goals for the 2nd part of 2012 and looking forward to making a difference in the months ahead. I can assure you i have many challenges facing me but sure so does everyone. Its definitely going to be a challenging 6 months but in my view its important to get around the right people, remove the doubters and negative people from your lives and try and climb a little higher every single day. Life is way to short and if you want a good book to read i would suggest you get George Friedman's The Next 100 years - he has a very interesting slant on what might happen and certainly i would assume that maybe 66 years from now (i am 34 and believe i will live to 100) i will likely leave this place and go to a better one so i have lots to do whilst i am here*_*
Remember everyone #NeverGiveUp and #AttitudeIsEverything
Saturday 14 July 2012
10 Marathon Commandments
I have only another 16 weeks to go to race day and I'm starting to get a little bit excited about running the best race in the world... the 2012 ING New York Marathon. To all you runners out there i have detailed below, 10 commandments that any marathon runner should consider seriously;
1 - 1. Make sure you’re physically fit for the activity you’re undertaking
2 - Train properly
3. Follow guidelines for proper nutrition
4. Maintain adequate hydration.
5. Warm up on race day, and stretch every day
6. Dress according to the weather.
7. Use proper, comfortable running shoes.
8. Watch the condition of the surface.
9. Go at your own pace.
10. Listen to your body.
Some of the above may seem very obvious, however if you stick to the 10 commandments, you will enjoy a much better race. Hope this was helpful ;
Cd
#NeverGiveUp #AttitudeIsEverything
1 - 1. Make sure you’re physically fit for the activity you’re undertaking
2 - Train properly
3. Follow guidelines for proper nutrition
4. Maintain adequate hydration.
5. Warm up on race day, and stretch every day
6. Dress according to the weather.
7. Use proper, comfortable running shoes.
8. Watch the condition of the surface.
9. Go at your own pace.
10. Listen to your body.
Some of the above may seem very obvious, however if you stick to the 10 commandments, you will enjoy a much better race. Hope this was helpful ;
Cd
#NeverGiveUp #AttitudeIsEverything
Friday 6 July 2012
In 100 years Time 2122
My sister bought me a Kindle for Christmas last year and it has turned out to be a great buy as Ive really gotten into it in the last few months. Its much easier to download a book in 5 seconds and pop the kindle in your bag than carry 2 huge thick books on holiday - so all very clever.
I've just started reading a new book this week called the Next 100 years by George Friedman. Its a fascinating read and as I was hitting the next page button of my kindle the other night, what i was reading, really got me thinking. So many people are caught up in what I would call the daily rat race. We all live, day to day, hour to hour and minute to minute. Everyone is very busy and we don't have a minute in the day to take a step back and just asking ourselves - whats it all about. Time is zipping past and its important in my opinion that we all have our goals, get a plan in place to achieve them and then take the action necessary to smash each and every one of them one by one. In 100 years from now, sure who cares, you wont be here to tell the tale. Life is a blessing and should be enjoyed. So if your not happy, do something about it. If you have a health concern, fight back against it. If you are in a relationship and want out - take the action necessary to make things better. Stop complaining and just surviving, start living and start thriving. I just hope that in life i turn out to be as good a person as my 2 year old Lilyanna and my 2 dogs (Lola+Bonny) think i am today:) Remember #NeverGiveUp and #AttitudeIsEverything
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